Inside My Head
by suspensegirl
Summary: Post 5x24 - Bad communication was a sure sign a relationship was doomed. CB
1. Prologue

A/N: I blame this fic on the fact that we had no solid CB reunion in the S5 finale, despite the fact that lots of loveliness was implied. My petrified, paranoid, insecure inner-fangirl has thoughts like these sometimes and finally they have been put together and put on paper. I don't know how many chaps this will have but I imagine not many. ;p

*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

…

**Prologue—**

It all started with an invitation.

They'd been together two months – _finally_ together. She'd fought long and hard for him, longer and harder than she had during their senior year in high school. He was remarkably stubborn, even if there were moments when she saw glimpses of just how much he loved and wanted her in his eyes. Those moments gave her hope.

Not that she'd ever give up. He was it for her and she'd fight for him to the death until he was convinced she wouldn't change her mind again. She had no need to since he had finally become the man she could trust herself with completely. She just had to convince him she was the woman _he_ could trust completely. He deserved that much. And she fought to give it to him – that trust – until finally he believed her.

Now they were together and happier than ever.

That was before the invitation.

In hindsight, she really had overreacted. Infact, when it happened she _knew_ she was overreacting but she couldn't seem to stop her emotions from boiling over. To keep him from leaving her – because she was sure he would if he learned of her slight distress – she kept all her raging, pained thoughts inside. (Because, who could she talk to, really? She and Serena were still on the outs and Nate was…well, he was Nate.) Before she knew it, she was walking on eggshells around him, and so sure he wasn't asking what was wrong because he was testing her. Have it so if something was wrong she should come straight out and tell him. Bad communication was a sure sign a relationship was doomed.

That made it worse.

She felt trapped. If she told him what was really wrong, he might decide she was being too insecure and dump her. After all, she wasn't exactly his top priority at the moments. He had Bass Industries to deal with, alongside Jack Bass – another thing that bothered her, though not as much by far.

If she didn't tell Chuck what was wrong she would likely explode. Maybe then she'd just leave him and he would probably throw her a cruel 'I knew you couldn't keep your promise', because she'd said she was all in and here she was leaving him. He would decide she wasn't capable of a real long-lasting relationship, and maybe that she deserved to be alone because she only broke hearts and couldn't wise up already. A taste of her own medicine, she was sure. If she took something so small and blew it up to such unnecessary pain, well…

He was just so _mature_ now. She wasn't used to it, and she decided this must've been exactly how he felt in their early days. _Not good enough_. That if she ever left him nothing would make her fight for him again. But she'd fought so hard leading up to his love confession to prove to him that he was all she ever wanted and needed, long before he'd taken the stand to change for the better.

He would obviously never fight for her again if things went amiss though. She'd burned him too badly this last time. Thus, she had to be perfect. The perfect girlfriend. Maybe someday the perfect fiancé and wife. If she did nothing wrong, he couldn't accuse her of anything and she wouldn't lose him.

If she lost him after everything that had happened and they had finally gotten to this place, she would… she wouldn't be whole.

She hated this. It was just horribly familiar to the likes of dating Nate in high school, always hoping he wouldn't leave her for Serena. And it was completely unnecessary, because Chuck understood her better than anyone. If she could be honest with anyone, it was him.

The fact alone made her wonder why he didn't just speak up.

One day he did.

But back to the invitation.

…

A/N: Please don't comment on how this would never happen and they're both so grown up now & going to become this great power couple and that Chuck obvs isn't this condescending and judgmental, even just in Blair's insecure mind…PLEASE. I'm quite aware of this. I just need to get the worst case scenario out of my system. Take it or leave it.

Review if you wish.


	2. Rules & Regulations

A/N: Reviews much appreciated.

*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

…

**Ch.1—Rules & Regulations**

The first time he said he wanted to take things slow, she found it endearing. Her heart fluttered happily, because Chuck Bass, notorious womanizer of the Upper East Side, was a romantic and no one knew it but her.

This time she was a little insulted.

They'd waited _so_ long to finally be together and _now_ he wanted to take things slow? They had never succeeded at "taking things slow" for long, and she was sure this time would be no different. Their sexual frustration built up – in a matter of hours sometimes – to the point where they could not help but rip each other's clothes off and give in to their desires.

This time, however, he appeared as tame as a house cat and she refused to believe he was really dying like he claimed.

One week later he broke all sense of boundaries when he invaded her personal space in the shower and ravaged her against the tile wall until she couldn't think straight. It was the first time they'd made love since getting back together and she would be lying straight through her teeth if she said she wasn't relieved… amongst other things.

So, after the shower incident the rules were adjusted: _sex, but no staying over_.

At first it didn't really bother her. She was so euphoric over having Chuck!sex back in her life that she wasn't about to complain about anything else. Complaints didn't even enter her mind.

But as days passed…and then weeks, she grew to crave more intimacy from him. She missed the extended post-coital glow they used to have, and there was nothing quite like waking up to him in the morning, his arm wrapped protectively and possessively around her waist, nose in her hair as her head lay snug in the crook of his neck.

It wasn't that they didn't act very coupley whenever they were around each other, and she knew his reasoning behind the rule. They were already spending so much time together as it was that if she started spending the nights too it'd be like they were living together. The only line between living together and being engaged was a proposal, and Chuck already had the ring. (Bart had told her this in the midst of her telling him off for how he treated his only son who saved him from death itself and the countless attacks on the Bass Empire and Legacy Chuck had to endure – and come out on the other side victorious.)

Chuck had almost proposed to her nearly three times and none of the attempts had been successful. He would be cautious and careful about his timing and tactics this time. He wanted her to say yes and he wanted them to last.

She was all in as far as that was concerned, but still… she missed those moments of intimacy they had before that he wouldn't let them have now. At times it made her feel like what they'd had before was deeper and more meaningful. In those moments of intimacy they had a soulful connection.

But she knew his reasoning and she respected and loved him for it, so she didn't say anything. She needed him to know she believed what he decided to do was right, even if – when analyzed far too much – it felt empty.

One day, six weeks into their reaffirmed relationship, Blair arrived early to Chuck's suite. Reclaiming The Empire back from Bart was a feat in and of itself, but that was even in its early stages, so Chuck had taken up residence at another hotel. She was still getting used to where everything was, and sighing sadly whenever she found empty spaces where she knew she could easily slip in her things.

That was another rule though. She couldn't bring any of her things over for permanent residence. If she wasn't staying over, neither were her things.

Sometimes she forgot this. Not in that she brought things over with no intention of taking them back home with her, but that she thought she had kept something at his place when she hadn't.

In this instance, his favorite silk-ruby, black-lace lingerie.

She pouted, disheartened. Now her entire plan was in shambles. There was no way she could return home or even to a store with enough time to set up a sexy evening for him before he came back from the meeting Jack had set up with God-knows-who.

Resigned to the inevitable, she laid her purse on the couch and glanced about the kitchen in search of something that would capture her attention for the twenty minutes before Chuck would arrive home.

A crisp sheet of off-white paper with gorgeous calligraphy lining the top caught her eye. She pulled it out from a stack of clearly flipped-through mail and smoothed her hands across the gold craftsmanship weaved into what she now realized was an invitation.

She scanned the wording until she reached the bottom and nearly jumped in excitement where she stood when she saw that the invite was for an upcoming event, some charity or other, nothing really significant, but it would still be the first _real_ social event she'd be attending with Chuck as her official boyfriend once again. And she as his girlfriend.

She smiled at the thought.

Then her face dropped.

There was a box at the bottom of the invitation requesting to be marked if the invitee would be bringing a guest, and not marked if he wouldn't be bringing one.

A faded pencil-marked 'x' was over the box – as in, erased – as in, reconsidered – as in, she wasn't going. Not with him. He wasn't taking anyone, but more importantly he wasn't taking her.

To her surprise, her fingers trembled. The invitation slipped from between them and floated onto the floor. Two elongated seconds passed until she became aware of what had happened. Quickly, she bent to pick up the sheet and slipped it in between the mail.

Nearly stumbling, she backed away from the counter, as if it burned her. She turned and looked around the room – vacant, spotless, without a single form of life.

It wouldn't be like this if she stayed the nights.

It would still be spotless when they were out, but there would be evidence of her there, of them.

He hadn't even put his picture up of the two of them on his desk.

He hadn't put a picture up of _her_.

She turned to look at the clock and saw that she had a good ten minutes before his limo would likely pull up to the front of the hotel.

Still shaking slightly, she grabbed her purse and hurried out the door, not a single sign of her presence left behind. It was just as when she'd arrived.

He hadn't been expecting her anyways. It'd be better if she returned home and cried into her pillow, because she was finally letting herself admit – albeit in her mind – that she had never expected "all in" to be like this.

…

A/N: I think I'm going to have this fic in short chaps. That way they'll get up quicker and I'll get feedback on more specific things. Heh. Hope you don't mind. Maybe that'll even make it longer. ;p


	3. Double Take

A/N: Ask and you shall receive. Chuck's POV. Though don't get too used to it. Since this fic is based off of B's excessive inner insecurities, Chuck's thought processes prob won't show up until I return to where things were in the prologue. ;p

*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

Thanks bunches again for the reviews.

….

**Ch.2—Double-Take**

The meeting ran late.

By the time he returned to his suite all he wanted was to wrap himself up in Blair and forget the whole day even happened.

It wasn't that he hadn't grown to trust Jack to an extent by now. It was just that lately his mind was becoming more focused on Blair and their relationship together. He didn't want to screw things up. Because if things went wrong _again_, he didn't know if they could ever make it work another time. That would be it; as much as he hated to think of an expiration date to them, he had to be realistic.

He knew he held the upper hand in that she was the one that had to fight for him in the last leap to their getting back together, but now they were on equal footing and he was in just as much danger as she was of taking that wrong step into the territory they hoped to avoid.

But maybe he was being too careful.

All these rules…first no sex (that one had been ridiculous really, and completely unrealistic) and now no staying over. He felt an empty hole growing in his heart every time he saw her walk away from him. It was worse when she left when he was still sleeping post-sexual activities. Now that they were back in a romantic relationship, the worst possible pain was waking up after sex and having her not snuggled beside him in his bed.

But his intentions were good and Blair hadn't said anything, so obviously he was just letting his emotions get ahead of him. It would be worth it in the long run.

No matter how many times he repeated that to himself though, it didn't make him feel any better. Not unless he forced himself to look at the big picture.

But every time she walked away from him that picture zoomed in a little more.

The door opened easily after he slipped the key into the slot and the green light flashed. The suite was just as he left it, and he found himself disappointed by that fact. He thought about dressing it up a little, since it was entirely too un-Chuck Bass-like with its lack of colors and pictures of Blair, but he didn't know how long he'd be staying, seeing as he'd only been in this particular hotel for a little over a month, and even though he wouldn't be the one packing up his things, it seemed like a waste.

He sighed and dropped his briefcase by the door, making his way to the kitchen to see if any new mail had come.

And wishing Blair was there waiting for him.

Well, what had he expected? He'd told her no staying over, and before that no sex. If you looked at where he'd drawn the lines and how their relationship had been before, it looked very much like he was trying to keep what they had between them very no-strings-attached.

He frowned at that realization.

That was the _last_ thing he wanted.

No-strings-attached meant they were free to date other people, and Chuck would go crazy if he saw Blair in the arms of another man, even if he was fairly certain that wouldn't happen, what with her fighting so hard for him and what not.

It may have been slightly cruel for him to push her so hard in order to get him back, he conceded, but he'd been severely wounded and thus hard to convince. No matter how much he'd grown, reassurance was something that didn't come easily to him.

That was behind them now though. They were together and they were happy and taking things this slow was _smart_.

He nodded assuredly, dropped the mail he hadn't bothered to look at and turned for the door.

….

She was turned away from him and sniffling with her face in her pillow.

His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach.

"Blair-" he choked.

He couldn't help it. He hadn't seen, or even heard her near tears for months, and he suddenly had the overwhelming fear that it was his fault.

She gasped and turned around, startled. She looked panicked, embarrassed, and quickly dabbed at her eyes with the tissues at hand. Her eyes were brimming red.

Chuck gulped.

"Chuck," she said as calmly as she could manage. She smoothed over the non-existent wrinkles in her skirt and started across the room, trying to bypass him on her way to the bathroom so she could wash her face and somehow come up with a reason as to why he'd found her in a puddle of tears and with no immediate explanation.

"Blair."

He grabbed her arm before she got past him and turned her towards him. He rubbed her arms soothingly as she shivered in his grasp.

"What happened?" he asked softly.

She swallowed.

"I-I'm just tired," she said, hoping her voice didn't sound too weak.

Chuck's brows furrowed.

"What happened?" he asked again.

She sighed.

"I'd really rather just be alone right now, Chuck."

His eyes narrowed further but his face was quickly looking helpless, especially when she tried to move out of his grasp. Somehow he managed to grab her again before she fully escaped.

"Chuck-"

"No secrets, remember?"

She lifted her eyes hesitantly to his. The outpouring of love and concern she saw overwhelmed her. She was pissed with herself that she'd let her meltdown carry on for so long, let alone that Chuck walked in on her in the midst of it. All she'd wanted was to get rid of him without looking too suspicious, obviously something she was failing at. But when she caught his gaze, she melted straight into the carpet. She turned back completely toward him and before she knew it her eyes were wrapped tightly around his neck and she was clinging to him like he was the breath of life itself.

"B…" he whispered sorrowfully, swiping her long hair off the back of her neck and pressing soft kisses to the base of it. "Tell me," he murmured.

She moaned softly, her uneven breathing finally returning back to normal.

"Just hold me, Chuck," she requested, "please," she added quickly, politely.

He nodded against her and held her tighter.

"Okay."

…

Hours later she woke, entwined with him beneath her sheets. She was breathing evenly now and tracing circles on his chest as he looped his fingers through the curls draping across her back.

"I'm not hiding anything," she said quietly.

He was silent for awhile, not saying anything.

"Then why were you crying?" he asked tenderly.

She bit her lip, searching her mind for some lie he would believe.

"I lost my heart pin," she said. It was true. She had lost it and was upset over it. It just wasn't something she would cry over. It was something she'd yell at Dorota about, because obviously it would be her fault. She handled all of her things, generally speaking.

He lifted his head to look down at her. He was clearly skeptical, but allowing the possibility.

"You've never really had it, and now that we're officially together, even if it is somewhat a silly symbolic thing, I just thought…"

"It means _that_ much to you?" he asked, and her heart dropped – regardless of where his question was coming from – because the summer before their senior year he'd been devastated when he saw it on Marcus's sleeve.

"Mhm," she managed, forcing her tears to stay at bay.

_What the hell was wrong with her? It was a stupid heart pin, and a lie to cover up why she'd been crying before!_

"We'll find it," he assured her, kissing the top of her head and laying his head back down on the pillow, and she wanted to scream because it sounded like he was talking to a child and all she wanted to do was jump out of the bed and run down the street away from him.

Instead, she nodded and forced herself to think of things that would make herself fall asleep, knowing full well that when she woke the next time he would be gone.

Maybe this time she needed him to be.

…

A/N: Since my angst is connected very much with B's insecurity in this fic, I couldn't keep it all Chuck's POV all the way through. Please forgive. ;p


	4. Going Deeper

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, loves! Really appreciate all your suggestions and requests. They are all being considered, I assure you. Also, Chuck's POV may come out to play more than I originally intended. ;)

*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

…

**Ch.3—Going Deeper**

She moaned softly and turned in her half-asleep state, willing herself to stay asleep. But the sheets scrunching further in between her toes was beginning to annoy her and she knew the issue would not get resolved unless she moved more than a little, probably so much so that she'd actually have to sit up and take her feet out from under the blanket. The small problem was quickly becoming much bigger than the black hole that she knew would consume her when she saw Chuck was not in the space beside her in the bed.

One rough groan and twisting movement later, she felt her arm swing around and smack something hard. Her eyes flung open and she hurriedly pulled her hand back and sat up, staring at what she'd accidentally slapped in her less-than-usual-restrained annoyance.

"Chuck."

His eyes were still closed but his face was scrunched up, clearly trying to recover from the unexpected slap.

"Ow."

"What are you doing here?" she asked, still in shock.

He pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers and then opened his eyes to look at her.

"Nice to see you too," he said, amusement clear in his voice. A silly smile started to form on his face.

Then he reached his hand out and slowly stroked the arm she was propped up against. It occurred to her that six years ago she would have slapped him for doing this, even when they were together, and it was that realization that made her smile too.

"Sorry," she murmured.

His smile widened. "For slapping me?"

Her smile turned apologetic.

He nodded once and grasped the back of her neck, pulling her towards him. He kissed her sweetly.

"You're forgiven," he whispered.

She felt chills. Actual _chills_. She didn't know why this was such a big deal. They had moments like this one all the time. Still, it just…it felt different.

Relaxed in his arms and laying in bed like they'd been before she last fell asleep, she found herself more content that she had in awhile. Her need to get him away from her had completely vanished.

"I didn't think you were going to be here still," she admitted, though her voice was still quite cheery. Her soul was feeding on the happiness he had given her by being the target of her unintentional abuse.

He frowned and rubbed his hand down her arm again.

"Why wouldn't I be?" he asked, confused.

She couldn't tell, but she thought maybe he sounded insulted. She couldn't throw his rule in his face now because it was clear his guidelines hadn't been at the forefront of his mind at all this time.

Her mouth ran dry.

"I…uh…" she cleared her throat.

"You were _crying_," he expounded. "It'd be a pretty dickhead thing of me to do just to leave you here in that state." He shook his head and kissed the top of hers again.

"I had recovered," she defended, prepared to argue.

"Not completely," he said softly, and it was the way that he said it that made her back down. The tension that risen and fallen within the last few moments completely cooled. She was quiet for awhile, just enjoying the feel of him against her.

"Are you going to leave soon?" she finally asked.

"Trying to get rid of me?" He smirked, and her stomach clenched because deep down she got the sense she was.

"Chuck-"

He sighed. "No, I know…"

His fingers loosely played with her hair as he continued his sad tale without words.

"I just didn't want to leave you."

She blinked a few times. The word _OPPORTUNITY_ flashed before her eyes as she realized he was giving her an opening, whether he knew it or not, to tell him how uncomfortable she was starting to feel about his rules.

She sat up and turned to face him.

"Chuck-"

"Not until you were alright," he said, his voice more fierce and determined now so she would see how much he cares.

She offered a grateful smile. He shared it, wrapping one of her rebellious curls behind her ear.

Then though, he dropped his hand from her face and started uncovering himself and scooting to the side of the bed.

She frowned.

"I should be going now though," he said.

Her heart fell.

"Since you're alright, and I have another packed day of meetings tomorrow," he laughed sarcastically at the latter comment.

She forced a tight smile at the abrupt change in topic. Then an idea popped into her head that made her heart swell.

"Chuck?"

"Hm?"

"What if I…came with you tomorrow?"

He turned to face her and looked at her strangely.

"Where? To my meetings?" She opened her mouth to speak when he continued. "No. Trust me, Blair, you don't want to be there. They're dull and boring and by the end of them I'm glaring at Jack furiously because the two of us could have easily come up with something better than what his lot brought in."

She shrugged and slid across the bed until she was directly behind him. Her arms wrapped around his neck from behind, refusing to allow him to finish dressing.

"Maybe I could help…" she offered. "We've always worked well together-"

"That's with _scheming_, Blair, not the business world."

She plowed forward despite how much her heart was breaking.

"Well, maybe I'll have insights you miss."

He sighed and turned to face her.

"Look, I really appreciate that you want to get involved with this and help me get back Bass Industries back, but the fact that you're with me, that you fought for me, and that you bet on me when the only other person doing that was my cheating uncle," he half-laughed. "…that's enough," he assured her.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead. Then he stood to his feet and started to button his shirt.

"I'll let you know if I need anything, okay?" He walked towards the mirror to finish adjusting his appearance. "You know you're the first person I would go to," he said.

"Kay," she forced, fake smile plastered on her face that he couldn't see.

"Aren't you going to be starting up the groundwork of Waldorf Designs soon?" he inquired. "Since, you are the new head now." He smirked.

"Yeah," she said, feeling lighter for a moment. "Mom's going to be going through the logistics of it all with me this week and then we're going to start taking applications for designers."

Finished with his clothing, he walked back to her, pulled her to her feet and kissed her until her toes curled and every hair on her arms and neck stood to attention.

"See. Plenty for you to do," he breathed against her, pulling away slowly to savor the sated, slightly dizzying expression on her face.

He headed for the door, turning back once more. "I'll call you tomorrow," he promised.

"Bye," she said softly just as he was out of hearing distance.

The conversation had turned lighter at the end, better than what she'd expected under the circumstances, but something about him leaving still got to her.

That, and the fact that he didn't want her involved with his work, with the most important thing in his life right now. He wasn't going to mix business and pleasure, and while she knew that was his way of being extra careful so he didn't repeat his last mistake in that sector, it still hurt.

She felt in her gut it was the wrong thing to do.

They were supposed to be partners in every way. General relationship ground rules were one thing, but pushing her away from something this huge, this important to him, left her with a very uneasy feeling, one she couldn't squash if she tried, one she didn't know if she could put under the label _Blair's unnecessary insecurities_ for long.

…

A/N: Please review. Now that I know people are actually reading & enjoying it. XD


	5. Car Crash

A/N: Wow. The response I've gotten to this fic is overwhelming; especially since I'm not devoting nearly as much time, effort and planning as I usually do with my fics. So thank you all! I'm glad you're enjoying it and please continue to review! =)

*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

….

**Ch.4—Car Crash**

Her mother put off planning the details of her daughter's takeover of her company.

Again.

It wasn't that she didn't believe in Blair's abilities or willingness to commit, and it wasn't the obvious fact that things were less than perfect with her relationship with Chuck, no matter what her daughter claimed.

She just wanted to be in it 100%, and things _had_ been coming up.

She wanted to devote the time to her daughter _completely_.

Plus, the transition had to be perfect and successful.

_What was one more week to string things together?_

Unfortunately, the logic in that thought process was that Blair had continued free time on her hands, in which to wait on Chuck and wonder how she was going to deal with the cards he had dealt her.

She remembered very vividly how him not confiding in her had ended up.

Him with only a hotel, and she with a broken heart.

Him shot, and her with an engagement ring that hadn't officially reached her finger.

Regardless of the fact that she knew Chuck wouldn't make the mistake of treating her so horribly again, what with how much he'd grown and how he respected and loved her, it didn't change how strikingly familiar the beginning to each situation was.

At least he wasn't hiding anything from her.

She didn't think.

She wished she had someone to talk to about all of this.

Of course she was still mad at Serena for what she had insinuated, and the fact that her ex-best friend had fled the country (no doubt) certainly spoke volumes of what she was planning to do to mend their relationship. But the blonde had more or less just pointed out what Blair didn't want to hear: the truth. She loved Chuck and she'd toyed with three guys' feelings all year.

She probably shouldn't have told her the best time she'd had was when she was vacant from her life six years ago.

That hadn't been true.

If Serena remembered back to when they'd first mended their ways on her return, she'd know that.

Blair sighed. She had such problems.

"Dorota!" she called out. Her maid came bustling in.

"Yes, Miss Blair?"

She opened her mouth but nothing came out.

"Nevermind," she finally said.

Dorota looked at her skeptically and Blair rolled her eyes.

"Do you know what Chuck's schedule is?" she asked, though she knew full well what it was: the same it had been for the last three days following her meltdown.

Meetings all day and home by five.

She really wished she knew what went on in those meetings.

There had to be _something_ she could do in order to progress this whole ordeal forward to its conclusion. Maybe she should talk to Bart again. That had honestly given her a burst of adrenaline, telling him off like that. No one was going to belittle her man, not even his own father, not after how much he'd grown and how much of a better person he was to begin with. Maybe he was still learning what worked and what didn't in the business world, but he knew the basics and he had survived a lot.

Bart had no right.

She nearly huffed waiting for Dorota to pull out her planner to find out what Chuck's schedule was that she didn't really need to know.

"Chuck's schedule is…"

"Nevermind, Dorota." She stood to her feet, eyed herself in the mirror and with a quick application of lip gloss and a brush through of her hair, she was out the door, purse over her shoulder and determination thrumming in her veins.

….

Chuck hadn't liked the last time she did this.

He'd scolded her afterwards, because her 'daring to talk in such a manner' to Bart had built up more barriers to get back his hotel that was on the verge of being either sold off or demolished. That made Blair even angrier at Bart because her only impact was to make him an even more solid rock to crumble, and now one that blew fire.

She couldn't help it though. She was antsy, and Chuck clearly was not going to be coming to her any time soon.

Maybe one of these days she'd call Nate and ask for his advice – a laughable notion even as she thought it.

Chuck probably wouldn't like that either though. Who all even knew about what he was planning with Jack? Nate usually wasn't in the loop. But then again, with this particular issue, she wasn't either.

Maybe she was assuming too much.

"Is Mr. Bass in?" she asked the older receptionist hiding behind thick-lensed glasses. She was not fooled though. You had to be nice to this woman, but not sarcastic, and certainly not a smart ass. The woman could be a bitch.

"And you are?" she asked, clearly not impressed.

Blair put on her best polite face and told herself to forget how many times she had exchanged niceties with this woman when she visited the office on account of Chuck in the past few years.

"Blair Waldorf," she said sweetly, yet professionally.

The woman took her glasses off.

"_The_ Blair Waldorf?" she asked, contempt clear in her voice.

"Yes?" she asked, confused now.

"The one who yelled at Mr. Bass a little over a month ago on account of his son, Charles Bass?"

At first she paled, but then her eyes narrowed, because she had talked about Chuck with such prestige before Bart came back.

Blair cleared her throat somewhat loudly but still lady-like in nature.

"Is he in?"

"Junior or senior?" the woman asked, amused now.

Blair blinked. "Excuse me?"

And just then the door to the office opened and out walked Chuck Bass restraining himself from lashing out and a stern Bart ushering his son out of his office, the office that used to be his son's – the one who had _saved his life_.

"Ch-Chuck?" she sputtered, aghast.

The woman perched the glasses back on her nose and returned to her work, ignoring the drama about to unfold. It was clear she'd been on Bart's side from the start. As soon as Bart snapped out of the daze Blair had put him under by her presence and closed his office door behind him, so did the receptionist tune both she and Chuck out.

"Blair." Chuck's eyes widened. "What are you doing here?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I could ask you the same question."

"Blair-"

"I thought you were having meetings all day with _Jack_," she spat.

"Blair-"

"Every day this week, you said. Every day, meetings with Jack, meetings with Jack," she scoffed. "Have you ever even _had_ a meeting with Jack?"

"Of _course_," he said on a harsh whisper as he grabbed her elbow and turned her down the hall to where they could talk in private. Once they'd found a quiet spot, she ripped her arm away.

"What the hell is going on, Chuck?"

"What are you doing here?" he asked again.

"Answer the question, Chuck," she demanded through clenched teeth.

Then it dawned on him.

"You were here to tell my father off again, weren't you?" he accused, angry now, especially once she started avoiding eye contact with him. Heh scoffed. "I told you not to do that again. Do you know how much you jeopardized when you did that?" he hissed.

"I didn't know what else to do! I'm just sitting around all day long, waiting for you to come, and then you never let me stay, and you won't confide in me…" she sighed. "At least telling off Bart gave me some adrenaline. Forgive me for _fighting for you_," she spat.

The onslaught of information she'd just thrown at him in the heat of the moment, completely threw him, but he had to follow this through and piece the rest apart later.

"I didn't ask you to do that," he said quietly.

She felt hot and then cold and then she wanted to throw up.

She swallowed, because she couldn't say a single thing, and it was the only way to prevent her eyes from watering.

He sighed. "You know what I mean," he said, looking regretful of how he'd worded his response.

"Of course," she said, lamenting that she didn't sound as bright and cheery as she'd meant to.

"Blair…"

She pulled away.

"No. You're right. I'll just…I'll go."

She avoided his eyes again.

"Blair, you said you were busy with your mother all week," he said hopelessly, still reaching for her unsuccessfully.

Her eyes flashed to his, but she knew she could only be half-angry with him, because she had told him that in an effort to get rid of him. She'd still been trying to cope with the fact that she wasn't allowed to be included.

"And so what if I was?" She continued with the lie. "You said you'd come to me first if you ever needed anything, and you didn't even _call_."

"Because I didn't need your help," he ground out.

She scoffed and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Oh yeah, that's definitely what it looked like. Do your successful _meetings_ with your father always end up with him pushing you out of his office?"

"That's _my_ office," he retorted.

"And what are you doing about that?" she nearly shrieked, her voice rising. She shook her head at the silence that now emanated between them. "You know what? If you don't want my help, fine, don't take it. But don't tell me you don't need me, because if you need anything right now it's what I have to offer, not your asshole uncle or you winging it in another combat with your father."

She turned and walked away, leaving him standing there still speechless.

She should've felt liberated, exhilarated even that she'd stood up to him like that and more or less told him what had been bothering her, but she just felt angry and hurt and more afraid than ever that he was going to accuse her of not being 'all in'. She had the unshakable feeling that she would never be able to convince him that she was, even though he'd taken her back.

Maybe she'd take a step back and be 'all in' just as business partners. It probably wouldn't last with their constant need for sex and them being so desperately in love with each other, but she was breaking with his refusal to give her what she needed in whatever this romantic relationship was.

She stormed out of the building and hailed a taxi, but just as she was about to slip inside, she heard an eerily familiar voice that she knew would cause nothing but trouble.

It was the _last_ thing she needed, the last thing _they_ needed.

"Waldorf. Fancy meeting you here."

She heard the smirk in his voice.

"Carter."

The bitch was still in her from her fight with Chuck.

"You sound tense," he said, reaching for her arm to sooth her.

She recoiled and glared, threatening to slap him.

He chuckled. "Put away the claws."

"Good-bye, Carter."

She turned and slid into the cab, giving the driver directions to where she needed to go.

She knew though, even as she tried to forget, that she had not seen the last of Carter, and that at that moment, he was heading straight for Chuck.

…

A/N: Dare I say I've started a new arc in this fic? *sigh* I think so. I couldn't just have CB going back and forth each chap. XD But I really am gonna try and not make this too long… in all honesty though, who _hasn't_ missed Carter? A round of applause for his appearance? I think so.

Please review. I shall try to update soon. =)


	6. Rising Tide

A/N: ATTENTION READERS: This fic will be going on a brief hiatus. From the reviews I've gotten, I can see nearly every one of you is beyond excited that I am writing this fic. However, initially this story was only supposed to be a few chapters long & about Blair having insecurities that she didn't need to have, because Chuck had taken her back, and he was just being careful, not keeping her away for the sake of not trusting her, since it's assumed the long time Blair fought for him happens prior to when I start this story. It's clear though that with the entrance of Carter and the start of another arc that this is becoming a fic much like my others where there is going to be a bigger issue at stake than simply the state of Chuck & Blair's relationship. I can easily shift back into gears where it's just CB not communicating well and they can just have a nice, long talk and things will more or less be smooth sailing from there on out, with the hint that they're going to be working on being a stronger couple this time around OR I can make this into a longer multi-chap fic – like my others – and develop a more complex plot. This will take planning, and thus will create a bit of a hiatus so I can take time to figure it out, since I won't be able to just pump out a couple scenes and post it every night. Keep that in mind. The main reason for the hiatus now though is that I'd like to know which scenario you guys would prefer. I am very willing to do either. I just would like to know what the majority would like, now that you know the pros & cons. I'm going to post a poll on my profile ASAP on these two options. Please vote, and according to what the tallies are a week from now, that is the route I will go. So please, all of you, VOTE! And worry not about updates from me in the next 7 days. Chances are I'll be busy, but maybe I can get around to updating LA or MMB (yes, I said it), since I've started the next chap for each. =P

And – scene.

*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

…

**Ch.5—Rising Tide**

He was still brooding over his argument with Blair when he heard the voice he never ceased to despise hearing at the reception desk just a little ways down the hall.

Sure enough, Carter Baizen was here in town and chatting it up with Bart Bass's secretary – _his_ old secretary up until recently, regardless if she'd been Bart's for years before that. This was the woman who could give a glare much like Blair's when she was in a mood, or even when she wasn't, and here Baizen was, saying a few flattering words and making her blush.

Chuck would've rolled his eyes if he wasn't pissed.

This was the last thing he needed.

He didn't even want to think about what Carter's purpose might be at Bass Industries. Despite how easily it was for Baizen to mess with him, and as much as Chuck hated to admit it, the guy never initially set out to make his life miserable. He just saw opportunities and took advantage of them when he was already in the vicinity.

"What are you doing here?" he spat, his nerves still wrought from the last half hour – especially the last ten minutes.

Carter easily turned to face Chuck, allowing the older woman to regain her normal complexion as she returned to her work a bit flustered.

"Chuck, long time no see," he said charmingly.

Chuck only glared.

Carter raised his eyebrows briefly, well aware that there would be no niceties on this end today.

"I saw Blair outside," he said, unable to resist.

Chuck's glare grew colder.

"She looks…" Carter's eyes heated up on purpose and he smirked, enjoying how he set his nemesis off.

"-What are you doing here?" Chuck repeated, his voice tight and his jaw clenched.

Carter's gaze flickered up to his and he smiled.

"I have a meeting."

Chuck scoffed. "I find that hard to believe."

Carter shrugged. "Suit yourself. It's the truth."

He looked at him disbelievingly, searching his eyes for the truth behind the lie.

"Serena's not in town," Chuck said, reminding himself that Carter had always sort of had a fondness for his stepsister, and that something between them – good or bad – usually occurred when he bombarded their lives.

Carter's gaze grew dark briefly, but then the calm suave expression returned to his face.

"I'm not here for her," he said, and winked at the secretary.

"Then what are you here for?" Chuck demanded.

He was about to answer when the intercom interjected with Bart's voice.

"Send him in, Marlene."

She cleared her throat to regain the professionalism she was known so well for.

"Right away, Mr. Bass." She lifted her finger off the button and looked up at Carter.

"He's ready for you," she said, trying her best to hold back another blush.

Carter smiled warmly at her and thanked her before moving around the reception desk in the direction of Bart's office. He stopped halfway and turned back to Chuck who had followed him.

"I'm sorry, Chuck. We'll have to catch up some other time. My meeting's about to start." He flashed him a wild grin and turned away from the speechless junior Bass, shutting the office door behind him once he entered.

…

She was still frustrated with Chuck later that night after dinner. Dorota had left earlier and now Blair was all alone in her big house, unable to forget her explosion earlier at Bass Industries.

She'd had every right, she told herself. He had gone too far by keeping Bart's meeting from her, even if she _had_ said she was super busy all week being involved with the company he had saved.

She sighed. He supported her so much in what she was embarking on with Waldorf Designs. He had to know she supported him fully in getting back Bass Industries too. If for nothing else for how much she begged to be involved.

They had to stop doing this, she thought mournfully as she sat on her bed. She touched the silk duvet lightly, remembering how it had felt against her skin three days earlier when she and Chuck lay beneath it.

No matter how much she wanted to be perfect to keep him from disposing her, bad communication would only stunt their growth. She couldn't play the part like she'd done to perfection with Nate in high school. Chuck saw right through her. He understood her, probably had this whole time.

Maybe he'd deliberately set up the scene this afternoon as a test for her.

_No_. He wasn't the manipulative boy she fell in love with anymore. He was the mature, loving man she could not live without. He wouldn't trick her in that way. He trusted her now. They wouldn't be together otherwise.

_Right_?

She shook her head, thoroughly irritated with herself. Then she stood to her feet and padded her way across the room, opening drawers to seek out the perfect silk ensemble for bed. _It wasn't like she was going anywhere tonight. _Chuck hadn't called at all the rest of the day, hadn't even texted, and that made her irritated too, like maybe he thought she was the one who should be apologizing from what had happened them earlier.

She was angry about that, but she also had a gut feeling that he wasn't the only one to blame for her outburst that had seemingly come out of nowhere.

Somewhat pleased with herself for finding the light pink satin nightie with the black lace that she so loved, she began to change clothes into the comfier wear.

She'd hardly undone the zipper of her skirt when her bedroom door flung open and Chuck strode into her room, not stopping.

"Chuck-" she began, and that was all she said.

He cut her off, grabbed her until there was no space between them and kissed her wildly. They were quickly moving across the room to the bed, tumbling onto it and not stopping to think.

"Chuck," she finally said again, needing an explanation. She attempted to push him away slightly to look at him, see what might be lying in his eyes, where his aggressive moves had come from, but she was only partially successful.

"I love you," he said, cutting her off again. His mouth went to her collar bone, kissing, suckling and biting, sending chills up her spine. "I love you so fucking much," he growled against her skin.

She heard the tears in his voice and ceased her relenting.

He needed this, and god, so did she.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he mumbled, his face pressing against her neck.

She was startled to feel wetness gathering there. _Tears_.

"Chuck," she whispered, shaken. Her arms wound around his neck and her fingers weaved through his hair. She held him to her, listening to his uneven breathing and giving him what he needed: her love and her body.

After awhile he relaxed against her too, and then things heated up. He kissed her again; it intensified. Then their bodies were moving and they were wrinkling duvet, their passion and love staining the sheets on her bed.

"_I love you so fucking much_," he repeated over and over until he couldn't speak and he told her instead with more hot, caressing kisses.

Something had happened. Something after she'd left. And she wouldn't let him get away with not telling her the next day. But now it was just them, and she was satisfied with that. She was saving him again, and that drowned out all her worries, because he had remembered that he still needed her, on some level at least, and that they were the same.

Maybe he was just as scared as she was.

….

A/N: Please review. Please vote. =)


	7. The Devil Whispers Softly

A/N: I really don't have anything else planned out, but the votes won out (and I'm glad for it) for the longer version. Lately I really have just been writing in the moment (which you can thank reviewer **scarlett2u** for), and I was inspired for this one the other day, so that's why this chapter is coming out now. If you're still hanging on to this fic, here is an update. Reviews make me happy. =)

*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

P.S. The song "Find a Way" strongly inspired me through writing the latter part of this chapter, so I don't know if you want to listen it while reading… It might add something to it. ;)

…

**Ch.6—The Devil Whispers Softly**

_She waited for what he would do. That tender smile of hers was all she had to give in order to prove herself, aside from the pile of chips she'd just placed on the card table. She knew he deserved more, but in that moment all she had was herself._

_She only hoped that he would take the bait and that her symbolic act wasn't too hopeless romantic._

_He didn't say anything. Instead, he turned back to the card dealer and nodded, allowing the bet. _

_After the game was finished and it was clear he'd won, he slid off his chair and whispered something to Jack about taking a break. _

_She followed him as he began to walk away, since it was obvious he was still unwilling to speak to her or confront her period in regards to her 'grand gesture'. They ended up at the bar and she slid onto the stool beside him, promptly ordering her classic cocktail._

"_Go collect your winnings, Blair," he murmured, on his way to his first swig of scotch._

_Her brows furrowed, but she reminded herself that she'd known this wouldn't be easy. She maintained her calm, and her perseverance. _

"_I can get it later," she said, stirring her drink with the little straw floating inside._

_He didn't say anything, just swallowed some more scotch._

_She took a deep breath. "So, what happens next?"_

_He lowered his glass and turned to look at her for the first time since she'd made her bet._

"_You go home," he said simply._

_She smiled a little too sweetly. "Guess again." She brought the straw to her lips and pulled the cherry off with her teeth, enjoying how his eyes briefly followed the movement._

"_Blow off all your money?" he offered, setting his drink down and fully turning his body toward her._

"_If that's what it takes," she said, still with that cheery, confident voice of hers._

_Chuck sighed and shook his head. He swallowed the rest of his drink in one gulp and set some money on the bartop, nodding to the bartender to pick up his tab – and Blair's. Blair glanced at the money before joining Chuck as he began to walk away again._

"_Are you going to play another game now?" she asked in a sing-song voice, sounding very much like a little sister annoying her older brother who wanted her to disappear._

"_Go home, Blair," he said, plowing forward._

"_I promise to make another bet," she said, undeterred._

"_Not on my account you won't," he said, making it very clear where he stood on the subject._

"_Fine with me," she said brightly. "On my account then."_

_He stopped so suddenly she nearly ran to him. When he turned around he was so close to her she could barely breathe and had to blink a few times when he stepped back a bit, so their lips weren't so close and their eyes weren't staring into their souls._

_She could see that he wanted to scold her, hurt her again, but he knew they would have an audience if he did, so he tore his gaze from her deep brown eyes, grabbed her arm and pulled her down a hall till they were out of sight of the large colorful gambling room._

"_What are you doing here?" he demanded._

"_I told you," she said. "I've coming to fight for you."_

_He scoffed and looked away briefly. _

"_I don't want you to fight for me. I told you, I'm done."_

_His gaze alone told her how final his decision was, but her memory was crystal clear and she knew he'd never expressed that wish._

"_You told me I wasn't enough," she said sternly. "You never said you were done," she whispered, reaching her hand out to stroke the side of his face. He closed his eyes at her touch, but then grabbed her hand and pulled it down to her side. He tensed when she curled her fingers around his hand._

_He released her when he could think clearly again and took a step away._

"_I won't say it again, Blair."_

_She tilted her head, acting the confused part._

"_Go home."_

_He turned and walked away from her back down the hall and into the casino._

_A few minutes later she was at his side at a new card table. He paused in his game when she presented another bet to the card dealer. _

_Chuck turned to look at her again, this time looking annoyed instead of confused and shocked. _

_She maintained her sugar-sweet smile._

"_I'll go home when you do," she said._

"_Will you take the bet, sir?" the card dealer asked._

_Chuck turned his head and looked at the man as if he was the most bizarre thing he'd ever seen. Then his face smoothed over and he nodded._

_Blair smiled cheerfully and swung one leg over the other, crossing them at the knee. With great fascination, she watched as Chuck played his expertise, winning her another wad of cash and even more faith in his abilities._

They were quiet for a long time after they'd finished and recovered before he finally broke the silence.

"I'm sorry I've been blocking you out from everything that's been going on lately," he said softly, tenderly stroking her hair as she lay strewn across his chest.

The scene was familiar, and for once it made him wary.

"I just don't want you taking care of me," he admitted.

Her barely moving fingers drawing circles on his chest stilled, and he knew she was tensed for an argument, or hiding her feelings. He didn't know which was worse.

He sighed and started massaging her scalp, hoping it would calm her. It did, but only a little.

"A big problem between us before, Blair, was my dependence on you. I always thought you'd be there for me, so I didn't put a limit to what the threshold was. I put you on a pedestal. In my mind, it was like you weren't even human."

She shot up and turned to look at him. Desperation raced across her face.

"I _will_always be there for you, Chuck."

He sighed and calmly rubbed her back.

"I know, but I don't want you to feel like you have to. At the start to my...changing myself, I told you I was going to start taking care of myself. I meant it."

"And I said I would still be there for you if you needed me."

"Blair-"

"And you _do_, Chuck. You need me."

He sighed in resignation.

She lay her head back down and smoothed her hand over his chest.

"Just because you need help doesn't mean you're relapsing. It doesn't make you any less of a man."

She smiled a little as she tilted her head up to look at him. He looked down at her, amused.

"No?"

"Nope," she said cheerfully, raising herself up again to kiss him on the tip of his nose.

He didn't let her pull away right away though. He held her arm gently and cradled her face in the palm of his hand. The look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know. He was so very much in love with her.

He pulled her closer and nuzzled his face against hers. The way he felt with her in his arms was indescribable. It made him wonder why the hell he'd made her fight so long and hard for him when he ached so badly for her every night.

"I think you should start staying overnight. And I should stay overnight wherever you are too."

This perked her up instantly. "Really?"

It was obvious she'd been waiting for this for awhile and it made his heart beat faster.

"Yes, really," he said, grinning like a fool.

She was glowing.

"We were never really good with restrictions anyways, were we?" he asked, smirking.

She giggled. "No," she said, as she leaned down to kiss him. "We weren't."

It was much later when she realized he hadn't told her what had been going on the past few weeks, if Jack had ever even been involved past their initial trips to various European casinos at the beginning of summer.

It made her wonder if this was all a series of calculated steps in keeping her in the dark. Maybe she couldn't really trust him at all.

_No_, she scolded herself. She _could_trust him. After all he'd done for her in the last year, the least she could do was trust him.

Then again, maybe the rude awakening of both Bart's return and his taking back Bass Industries had made Chuck snap. He was so cautious with her now, even in this breach with them spending the night with each other (which she _knew_ she _would_ love and take _full_advantage of).

Maybe this hadn't been the right decision after all. Maybe she would've been better off taking charge of Waldorf Designs and only coming to him after he'd managed to fix things on his own.

But _no_, she'd said she was all in and she was. Totally. Completely.

Besides, she'd burned him badly. It was enough to make him stop wanting her altogether if she didn't fight for him, and soon.

She groaned and slipped out of bed. Being so close tucked into Chuck was starting to make her feel uncomfortable, despite how fulfilling their last conversation had been. She'd just fought so hard for him before that she hadn't let herself question the depth of his love and desire for her. But now that they were together and he was hiding things from her - even with the clear assumption that he'd start filling her in - she began to doubt even more if he would simply get rid of her when proved to be too difficult.

And she knew she would be. She was Blair Waldorf. Her name spelled out trouble and her visage expressed more than words could possibly say how difficult she could and would prove to be. To a matured Chuck Bass...

If he hadn't already been in love with her, there was no way he would fall now.

Not a chance.

….

A/N: Please review. =) (and yes, there will be continued flashbacks of how hard she fought for him pre-fic throughout the course of this story.)


	8. History Repeats

A/N: I've decided to be a little generous in the last week or so and update fics I'm not currently working on if I get some desperate, urgent nudges from reviewers/readers/friends. I got one for LA & then one for this one. So, if y'all have been waiting for this story to be updated since July (which I believe is when it last was), go thank **mytiffany**, b/c she made it happen. ;) However, since I don't have the details of this fic figured out, this chap will only be a continuation of the flashback from last chap when B went to win Chuck back in Monte Carlo. Enjoy. =)

*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

…

**Ch.7—History Repeats**

_It didn't take a genius to figure out whose feet were following closely behind his in the hallway. He'd told her he was returning to his room and that she was not to follow, but he should have known better. She was Blair Waldorf, and it was clear she wasn't giving up without a fight. She'd bet her money countless more times that night and each fork load had landed in his lap, much to his chagrin. _

_It was helpful, he had to admit. She had become his lucky charm in a way. But it was making it harder for him to grasp at reasons to stay mad at her. He was here on a mission and here she was just trying to make a point, get in the way of everything he'd left New York to do. _

_He didn't want to think about her words from earlier that in essence his rejection of her hadn't clearly drawn a line between them forever. He thought back more than once that maybe he had been too harsh with her. But he'd waited for her and fought for her too many times to just have his father rip away what little he had left and then have Blair swoop in expecting he'd take her back._

_He couldn't just take her back. He couldn't. It didn't matter how delicious she looked in that perfectly placed dress, or that her hair was swept away just enough so he could see the enticing nape of her neck. It didn't matter that she was willingly closer to him now than she'd been in months and that it was clear there was nowhere else she wanted to be._

_Alright, so those things mattered, but it didn't shake the anger and hurt simmering in his gut. He wanted her to leave, get on with her life. He didn't want to have anything to do with her. He needed to figure out his future. All he had right now was his title, and that sure as hell wasn't enough. Maybe down the line once this whole mess with himself was figured out, then he could consider pursuing a relationship with Blair again. But even if that time came, it was likely that she would have moved on by then, and in all reality, that would probably be best._

_So, no, he didn't want her there. He was winning his money with the aid of dear old cheating Uncle Jack, so he could get his foot back in the money-making game. If his father would leave him with nothing short of scarce amount of spending cash, due to Lily (though, in all honesty, the average person would hardly call that limited or verging on poverty), he needed to find his own way to get jump-started again. Jack was along so he could get his fill, and once they both had a good chunk, then they could go their separate ways and move on with their lives in a way that didn't involve intrusions from dear old Bart._

_He sighed when he reached his room and she stopped with him, looking at his hand stiff on the door handle when the light turned green after he'd slid his key card through. He paused after pushing the door open about an inch and turned to face her._

"_This is it, Blair."_

_She blinked innocently._

"_This is my room," he clarified, almost grinding his teeth._

"_Oh?"_

_He sighed, irritated and shut the door again, shoving the key card into his pocket and pulling her along further down the hall so they could talk in private away from the temptation of his room._

"_Drop the act," he demanded._

_She blinked a few times, confused, but slowly revelation dawned._

"_It's not an-"_

"_I know why you came here, Blair, and I know it's genuine. I appreciate all the bets you made and the symbolism behind them, but it's just not going to be that easy."_

"_I know, Chuck. I wouldn't have come if I thought it was going to be easy."_

"_I don't want you, Blair," he said, and he knew even as he said it that tears would well up in her eyes. "Not right now, at least. You're too much of a distraction. I need to get my life in order before I even consider having another romantic relationship, especially one with you."_

_Her eyes narrowed. "Why especially one with me?"_

_He didn't want to say it, knew it would open up a whole new can of worms if he did, but it might just be what she needed to get out, or at least stay away from him, so he decided he would take the risk._

"_Because you're different, Blair. We're different. I wouldn't be starting from scratch like I would with any other girl. There's so much history between us that if and when we start again, that will be our last chance; and it can't be settling with just being boyfriend and girlfriend. I've almost proposed to you three times. It just…" he sighed, exhausted from the mental and emotional draining he'd tried to avoid. "It's too much to process right now. It's too big of a step when I have more important things to worry about."_

_She swallowed hard and tried to think of something to say. She was hurt and confused and somehow determined. She didn't know how to snap out of it._

"_I can't force you to leave," he said after the silence became unbearable. "But I don't want you seeking me out or talking to me again."_

_Her eyebrows furrowed. "I can't even talk to you? Not even as a friend?"_

"_We were never good at being friends, Blair. You of all people should know that."_

_She swallowed hard. Everything she'd done and said in her relationship with Dan was going to come back to haunt her. She was sure of it._

"_Goodnight, Blair."_

_He turned and walked around back to his room. She didn't stop him. Instead she just stood there, staring at the carpet until the sound of his door shutting brought her back to reality. She walked out to the lobby on his floor and pulled her phone out of her clutch._

_He answered on the second ring and she was glad he hadn't gotten drunk or was out banging any of the cocktail waitresses yet._

"_Blair…" he drawled. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"_

"_Phase two," she announced. He made an annoyed grumbling sound. "Hey," she snapped into the phone, "don't give me that. You said you'd help me."_

"_I told you where he was. As far as I'm concerned that was the end of my services for the future wellbeing of Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Bass."_

_She tensed, angry, because if Chuck was hearing this conversation he would want none of it._

"_Just put your phone in his room and call me. That can't be too difficult. I want to be able to hear everything that's going on in that room at all times."_

"_Now you've got my attention," he said, somehow ten times more sober and focused than he had been a second ago. "What have you got planned?" he asked after a beat._

"_That's for me to know and Chuck to find out. Your only purpose here is to give me audio access to Chuck's room without him finding out. Now, is that going to be too hard for you or can you handle it?"_

_She was getting bitchy, but he pushed her to it. He was pushing her buttons even more by keeping her hanging on the line while he contemplated it._

"_Jack-" she finally burst, frustrated._

"_I can handle it," he cut her off, and then hung up._

…

"Jack."

"Blair," he drawled, clearly amused. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"We need to meet."

"Well, well, well…"

"It's about Chuck."

"Of course it is."

"The Palace. One o'clock."

He sighed. "You've got a date."

"It's not-"

"I'll be at the bar."

…

A/N: Alright, guess it wasn't all flashback. But mostly. XD Hope you enjoyed. I'm gonna try to update IA before the ep tomorrow, since I get the feeling I'll be wanting to update LoT.


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